I was reminded recently of our family camping days from my childhood.
It wasn’t a photograph or a conversation that brought the memories rushing back.
It was actually the song of a White-Throated Sparrow.
This a bird I would hear often at Duck Mountain Provincial Park. Sound gets amplified over a body of water like a lake so you could hear these birds singing anywhere you were near the shore, especially at sunrise and sunset.
I have noticed that the smell of campfire is another strong reminder of days camping with my family growing up. This bench that my husband torched and coated still has a faint scent especially after a rain. I was actually sitting on it when I first heard the sparrow sing.
These brief mental journeys back to my childhood summers had me searching for some photos.
As kids, we would spend hours at the two beaches at the park. The one farthest away from the camping area is where we had swimming lessons. I remember shivering when learning how to dive off the wooden dock into the cold water fairly early in the morning.
At the same beach, they put out this tall metal slide for part of the summer. The metal was hot to the touch and not very safe but this was the early 80’s.
Another thing I looked forward to was the slip n slide. There is a long grassy slope leading down from the parking lot to one of the beaches. A few times a summer they would set up a long plastic slip n slide all the way down that hill. You would slide down hitting the wet grass leaving grass stains on your bathing suit and thighs then run back up the hill for another go.
Today, for a fee, you can enjoy this set up of an inflatable obstacle course on the lake.
Times have sure changed.
Back then, there were guided walks along the trails and campfire sing alongs Wednesday evenings. We would spend hours on the bike trail that went from one end of the park to the other, hoping we didn’t wipe out on our bikes on the steeper hills. Along the trails wild strawberries and raspberries grew which were a nice snack on a summer’s day.
Another great part of camping was visiting with relatives. My dad’s family lived in the same town as we did but we rarely saw them, aside from my grandparents, during the school year. Everyone had their own busy lives. Dad’s siblings had permanent camping spots at the lake and, when we were also out there camping, we would visit their campsites often.
Camping is one thing I regret not having done with our children. Many of our summers were spent packing and moving or driving to visit relatives. They did get the chance to play with their cousins in the camper bus from my childhood and do pretend camping. It sat parked in my parent’s backyard for years.
I actually laughed out loud the other day while shopping in Canadian Tire. You know how birds sometimes get into the store rafters. Right above us in the seasonal patio furniture section, a White-Throated Sparrow sang its tune and I knew right away exactly what it was.
It is amazing how one bird’s song could take me on such a walk down memory lane.